You don’t Have to be The Smartest Person in the Room

(Adapted from a leadership book I read. I cannot remember the author’s name – or I would give credit. It’s not 100% original by me. – Brother Aaron)

Believe it or not, the leader doesn’t have to be the smartest guy on the team. However, he does have to be the smartest/best leader on the team!

In the original Star Trek series, Captain Kirk definitely wasn’t the smartest guy on the team. His first officer, Spock, was also his science officer. He was smarter than Kirk – about everything! Scotty was the engineer. He was smarter than Kirk regarding engineering issues. Bones was the ship’s doctor. He was smarter than Kirk regarding medicine. So, while Kirk had not mastered the skillsets of science, engineering, and medicine to the degree of proficiency as Spock, Scotty, and Bones, he had mastered and perfected the skillset of leadership.

A good leader surrounds himself with people smarter than himself. He empowers them. He doesn’t micro-manage them. He equips them with the resources they need to do their job. And as the leader, he values their input as a critical ingredient to his decision making process.

Pastor/leader, like Kirk, you don’t have to be the smartest guy on your team. However, as the leader you must be surrounded by competent people that you have empowered and resourced to provide you with the information critical to your decision making process. And yes! You do have to be the smartest/best leader on your team! And gentlemen, this doesn’t happen by accident. It happens “on purpose!” As the leader, you must make and follow through with a commitment to be a life-long learner!